The Election Commission on Tuesday stopped the disbursement of input subsidy under Rythu Bharosa scheme to farmers in Telangana for Rabi season of 2023 on the grounds that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had violated the model code of conduct (MCC) by announcing about the disbursement in his poll rallies.

The Congress has blamed the BJP and BRS for complaining to the ECI and stopping the scheme before polling. Voting will take place in Telangana on 13 May.

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The ECI had earlier given the permission to the Telangana government to disburse the amount as farmer’s incentive under an ongoing scheme called Rythu Bharosa. The Rythu Bandhu scheme initiated by the erstwhile BRS government had been renamed as Rythu Bharosha after the Congress came to power.

However, the ECI decided to withdraw the decision after the chief minister had openly challenged BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao in his rallies that the amount of Rythu Bharosa will be credited to all farmers by 9 May. He said if he failed he would apologise before the Martyr’s memorial, otherwise Rao should do the same.

“In the above premise and clear violation of Model Code of Conduct by Shri Revanth Reddy, president, (TPCC) and star campaigner and chief minister, the commission has directed that disbursement of balance instalment under the Rythu Bharosa (erstwhile Rythu Bandhu Scheme for Rabi season of 2023 will be affected only after the completion of the poll in the state of Telangana on 13.05.24,” read the EC’s directive.

The EC also pointed out that the funds under the DBT scheme were usually disbursed between October to January and there was no special significance in disbursing the amount in the month of May for the Rabi season of 2023. In November 2023 under the BRS the ECI had similarly stopped the disbursement after the then finance minister announced the scheme in his rallies.

In 2018, the funds had been disbursed on the day of the poll while the beneficiary was standing in the queue to vote and many had cited it as the reason behind BRS getting a second term.

“We are holding both BJP and BRS for the EC’s decision, particularly the BJP since ECI is in their hands. Both these parties claim to be friendly towards the farmers. When BJP was in the Centre and BRS in the state government Rythu Bandhu was disbursed on the day of the poll ( 2018) then there was no violation of the MCC?” asked Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, TPCC spokesperson.